9  Day Western Simpson Desert Trek

April 22 to April 30 2010

1 day road transfer from Alice Springs, 7 days on camel trek, 1 day return road transfer to Alice Springs.

Good physical fitness, a love of the outdoors and a constructive mental attitude are fundamental to the success of your trek or expedition. Due to the very nature of your journey and the remote areas that you may visit, conditions may be outside that of your normal experience. After leaving the comforts of civilisation behind, you should be prepared to enjoy the desert on its own terms. Group sizes are usually between 10 to 13 trekkers plus 4 cameleers and 4 or 5 ecologists.

Our trekking holidays have been graded easy, moderate or strenuous depending on their difficulty. Camel trekking (desert bushwalking) can be a very personal experience - one man's stroll can be another's expedition.   Please do not bite off more than you can chew!  It is important that you choose the correct grade for your capabilities so please read the detailed trip notes to check if the journey is right for you.  If you have any concerns please do discuss this with our knowledgeable team who are trekking experts. On our more challenging expeditions we will require you to complete a fitness questionnaire. 

This trek is graded as Moderate.

Easy - this grade applies to the 6 day Western Simpson Desert Explorer (not operating in 2010) which operates at a slower pace than our moderate treks, as there is not as much walking with the camels.
Importantly however, remember that you will be bush camping for the duration of the trek! You must be prepared to actively participate in the day-to-day running of your trek. A moderate level of fitness is required and a flexible, open-minded approach is essential.

Moderate - A good level of fitness is required an you also must be prepared to actively participate in the day-to-day running of your trek. Our walking pace is approximately 3 to 5 kilometres per hour, depending on the terrain being covered.The average distance travelled per day is usually between 10 to 15 kilometres with distances up to 18 kilometres sometimes covered depending upon the wishes & capabilities of the trekking group. Trekking may involve some spells of continuous, although moderate, dune climbing on firm sand. Occasionally, you will make camp at lunchtime, allowing the afternoon 'free' to explore or (if available) to relax by a waterhole. During the trek we will be making camp early so as to accommodate our various survey jobs as the case may be. On other days you may cover a little more ground in search of a suitable campsite with enough feed for the camels. Water is available for drinking only but will not be strictly rationed - common sense will prevail. Travel will be cross-country, away from tracks and roads, unless specified in the trek notes and the itinerary of each trek is flexible allowing the leader to adjust the pace of the trek to the wishes and capabilities of the group.

Challenging - all expeditions fall into this category. Physical preparation is essential as you may be walking for 7 hours per day or longer for up to 19 days. These are genuine contemporary expeditions that travel in a traditional style just as the early explorers would have done, whilst encountering the rich desert diversity entwined with the rewarding experience of working with the camels. Due to their duration and terrain covered, these explorations are far more challenging than any trek. The expeditions may travel between 320 - 400 kilometres (unless otherwise noted) and have a definite objective, whether it be to cross an entire desert or to arrive at the designated base camp at journeys end. Full rest days during the expedition are not guaranteed and  the average distance covered per day can be between 15 to 22 kilometres. Water rationing is strictly enforced and there are neither permanent camps nor any type of vehicle back-up. On such a journey it is essential that you are prepared, both mentally & physically, to fully participate as an expedition member.

Please note that the grading system is not a straightforward measure of how far you are walking. Rather it is an overall indication of how tough it will be and it takes into account the number of hours trekking, the average temperatures and weather conditions. So even though a trek is graded Easy it does not mean you will never feel tired! Similarly, inexperienced trekkers need not necessarily avoid treks graded as Challenging.

So you do not need any previous camel trekking experience to join one of our expeditions. You just need to be prepared to spend up to 19 days out bush - this is perhaps where the 'fitness' and 'mental preparation' come into the equation. Our expeditions are not hard, but with appropriate preparation and a good mental attitude, at journeys end you can expect to be tired but also fulfilled with a great sense of personal accomplishment.

Common characteristics of all treks & expeditions are:

• Team participation & walking with a string of up to 22 camels

• Sleeping in swags under the stars

• Camping at non permanent camps (excluding the first & last nights and unless otherwise noted)

• Camp cooking in camp-ovens & woks on open fires

• The subtle beauty of the desert landscape

• Self sufficiency – there is no vehicle back-up - and the desert silence!

• On all treks & expeditions, the camels carry all your personal gear, excluding your day pack.

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A Typical Day

Please note:
The following is based around the 'normal' structure of one of our typical treks.

Remembering that the success of the trek depends on the active participation of all trek members, we ask that you participate to the best of your ability without over doing it. Working together as a team, assisting the crew in the daily routine of running the trek, is an important factor in enjoying our time in the desert. Typical duties would include helping to saddle the camels, load and unload equipment, collecting firewood or assisting with shepherding the camels at the end of the day. We feel that the journey represents a balanced mix of healthy work, relaxation and personal discovery - "what we all put into it, we all get out of it".

The day begins at first light when the crew untie the camels from their night trees and shepherd the camels (perhaps with your help!) whilst they feed. The campfire is brought back to life, the billy boiled and breakfast is served. After breakfast, we pack up camp and the camels are brought in ready to be loaded with saddles and equipment. Everyone helps in this precision exercise. We usually break camp between 8.00 & 9.30 a.m. and our pace of travel is based around that of the camels. They normally walk at about 4 kilometres per hour on flat country and 3 kilometres per hour over dunes. We are not in a rush and one of the first things that you will notice as you walk along is the sheer immensity of the desert silence. As you become involved in the day, your senses will soon become attuned to the surrounding desert.

During the morning we stop every hour to adjust loads and have a break, before pulling up for lunch about midday for an hour or so. Lunch is laid out on the tables and this is a time to rest and relax a while.

The afternoon walk follows a similar pattern to that of the morning. Camp is usually struck sometime between 3 and 4.30 p.m. at a suitable place where there is feed for the camels - this is the most critical factor in selecting a campsite. Again, everyone helps to unsaddle the camels and collect firewood etc. The camp is run like a traditional 'stock camp', similar to those that you would find on any large Australian cattle station and is well equipped but not overloaded with the clutter that seems to accompany modern day camping. We carry the essentials - water, food, shelter & swags (bedrolls).

Swag, blue tarp and black kitbag supplied by OCC

Whilst the camels are grazing, this is a time for you to collect your swag & personal gear and relax, read, or write up the diary. The crew will be preparing dinner and may need some help shepherding camels to make sure that they don't stray too far from camp. All meals are cooked on the campfire in camp-ovens or woks. Dinner is served soon after nightfall. At the end of the day, sitting around a campfire in the Australian Outback, surrounded by the desert night, is one of life's great pleasures. It's time to discuss the day's events or just sit back on your swag and absorb the brilliant glow of the stars and the thunderous silence that thousands of square kilometres of desert produces. The camels inevitably become a talking point as our day completely revolves around their day and their ability to negotiate the dunes with their loads which may weigh as much as 250kg.

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Day-to-Day Itinerary

The actual day-to-day itinerary of any trek is, to a large degree, unplanned! That is the beauty of travelling with camels and exploring the desert. As the expedition is self-sufficient and the camels can travel virtually anywhere, the only definite objective is our final destination. For instance, it is seldom known in the morning exactly where that nights camp will be, as the route taken, weather conditions, availability of camel feed and 'unexpected discoveries' all determine the position of camp. The one constant however, is the daily routine of loading and unloading the equipment onto and off the camels, as well as the general camp duties.

On day 1, you depart Alice Springs in the early AM and begin the drive in an OKA 4WD vehicle to Old Andado Station. This scenic drive via the Rodinga Ranges usually takes about 5 hours with lunch along the way. Upon arrival at the camel camp and will meet your crew and the camels. We will have food and other equipment to pack as we establish our base camp. Your help with this important task is welcome. You will have time to acclimatise to your new surroundings and organise your personal gear. There will be time to visit the heritage listed homestead. That evening, your leader will talk about the trek route and objectives, the camels and other important safety points.

Day 2 - This first day is also a 'learning day' as your crew will demonstrate how to handle the camels and how the tonnes of saddles & equipment are carried. As the days pass and you become more familiar with the daily activities, when we do begin to use the camels, the loading/unloading time decreases and the daily trek routine begins to take shape.

Days 3 to 7 will consist of the same daily routine. Depending on the weather conditions and wishes & capability of the trekking group, your trek leader may decide to call a half-day of trekking. There will be no strict water rationing during the trek and we may have facilities for an occasional wash. But please note that the water we carry is for drinking and not washing bodies! On day 8 we will camp earlier to allow for preparations to depart the next morning and the vehicles will meet us that night.

On the morning of day 9 you board the OKA for the drive back to Alice Springs, arriving in mid afternoon.

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                    An OKA 4WD used on our transfer runs                                        Brushing down the camels before loading

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General Notes

The team. The trekking party comprises 10 to 13 trekkers, 4 to 5 cameleers and up to 22 camels. Your fellow trekkers will come from many countries. Most of our clients are from Australia and New Zealand however you can expect people from the UK, North America and Europe to be in your group. Most would have had no previous camel trekking experience, whilst others may have been enjoying our treks for many years.

Our leaders. Our leaders are experienced cameleers, each with a love and respect for the camels and the desert and are happy to share their knowledge with you. All are trained in First Aid, as is at least one other crew member.

Camping Equipment. OCC provides all the camping equipment. You do not need to bring tents or swags.  In the event of rain, we have freestanding tent flys. Yes, it can rain in the desert during winter! We carry kitchen tables and a kitchen tent for when it rains. Your swag doubles as a comfortable ‘chair’ at night around the campfire in the evenings, however we also carry small plastic fold-up stools.

Before departure we will send you a comprehensive Trek Information Guide
which will contain everything you need to know about preparations for the trek.

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